Normandy Reverses Decision, Will Pay Tuition Bills for Transfer Students

NORMANDY, Mo. (KMOX) – The Normandy School Board will pay tuition for students who transferred out of the district to attend accredited schools.

The reverse decision came Wednesday night, days after the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education met with theNormandy School District. Normandy now must pay out $1.37 million dollars to 17 accredited school districts where its students have transferred too.

Only one board member cast a dissenting vote, making the analogy it was like handing someone a pistol and ask them to kill themselves.

“I’m not the kind of person believes in suicide and I do not agree to pay these payments to other schools,” Terry Artis said.

Last month, the Normandy Board voted not to pay tuition and transportation costs to other school districts. On Oct. 31, the board reversed its earlier decision and voted to pay transportation costs to bus students to Francis Howell schools.

At the meeting Wednesday, the board also concluded that it can save $3 million by closing Bel Nor Elementary and laying off over a hundred employees. Both students and residents made their plea to the board.

“How are students suppose to learn?” asked one student. “We need additional teachers, we need additional support staff.”